Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Random facts, just for fun and curiosity.

Post what you may think may be of interest to readers, an example would be:


FLASHLIGHTS got their name because the earliest ones did not work that well, they produced only flashes of light.  But the name has stuck.


I hope that fact illuminated you.


Chrissy

Footballs are made of cowhide but they are often called pigskins.

Why is that?  Because they used to contain pig bladders.  Now they contain synthetic bladders.

This changeover made the footballs more pleasant to use, and the pigs are pleased too.

The first French fries are believed to have been made in Belgium.


One belief is that American soldiers during WW I found the fries to be rather tasty, and they were made in the French speaking areas of Belgium.  Hence the name, French fries.

Tin cans were invented in the 1800s.

They have many uses.  Some have sealed tops and bottoms.

Some have removable covers, such as a "cookie tin."

"Tin cans" are made of tin coated steel.  So they are weakly magnetic.

Horses started wearing shoes around AD 500.  They were made of leather or metal to protect their hooves.

Nowadays horseshoes are usually made of steel, but they can be made of aluminum or plastic.


Fortunately, horses are not faced with selecting from a myriad of fashion styles for their shoes.  The functionality of the shoes is what is sought after.

The last wild crocodile in what is now Israel was killed when the swamps of the Tannin River were being drained in 1919. Tannin is Hebrew for crocodile.

The city of Chicago, Illinois, is nicknamed "The Windy City". But it has nothing to do with the weather.

Chicago doesn't even rank on most top-10 lists for wind speeds in America.

One of the first known instances of Chicago's "windy city" nickname came from a New York Sun reporter named Charles A. Dana in 1893, who editorialized that the city's politicians were "full of hot air."

Chicago and New York were in a head-to-head competition at the time to host the next World's Fair, and Chicago's "windbag" advocates were not shy about campaigning for their hometown to win. Despite Dana's best efforts to discredit Chicago as a "windy city", the 1893 World's Fair was held in Illinois, not New York.

Quote from: Lori Dee on February 28, 2025, 09:34:47 AMThe city of Chicago, Illinois, is nicknamed "The Windy City". But it has nothing to do with the weather.

Chicago doesn't even rank on most top-10 lists for wind speeds in America.

One of the first known instances of Chicago's "windy city" nickname came from a New York Sun reporter named Charles A. Dana in 1893, who editorialized that the city's politicians were "full of hot air."

Chicago and New York were in a head-to-head competition at the time to host the next World's Fair, and Chicago's "windbag" advocates were not shy about campaigning for their hometown to win. Despite Dana's best efforts to discredit Chicago as a "windy city", the 1893 World's Fair was held in Illinois, not New York.

I dislike driving in and near either city! 

Chrissy

Treadmills were invented in the 1800s.
They were first used by farmers, placing animals on the treadmills to power threshing machines and butter churns.

Treadmills were used as fitness machines starting during the mid 1900s.

Cheesecake originated in ancient Greece.  In 776 BC, athletes in the first Olympic Games were served cheesecake.  The cheesecake was spread across Europe by the Romans.  Romans brought cheesecake to temples as gifts to their "gods."


Yes, they are popular in many places, including New York.

Lol, I love this thread, please keep it coming, you weird and wonderful people. <3 There is always a place for useless trivia... ask any pub landlord. :D

Chrissy, you are actually a blessing to the world. <3

Quote from: Sephirah on February 28, 2025, 06:10:31 PMLol, I love this thread, please keep it coming, you weird and wonderful people. <3 There is always a place for useless trivia... ask any pub landlord. :D

Chrissy, you are actually a blessing to the world. <3

Okay, here is another fact, or is it an opinion?  Could be both!

Sephirah is wonderful.


Chrissy

Most definitely an opinion.

But I love you, girl. I love the boundless optimism and hope you give. You are a driving force for good even when you don't necessarily feel good.

You are special, Chrissy. And more people could learn from you. From your ethic and your desire to be just... a force for happiness in the world.

Please don't ever change, or stop doing what you do. You are, frankly, amazing.

Nah!

I must improve and grow. 


Hugs,

Chrissy

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on February 28, 2025, 06:54:27 PMNah!

I must improve and grow. 


Hugs,

Chrissy

Not sure how much more room there is in the whole "improve and grow" thing, when it comes to you, honey. You carry a lot of the weight of the world on your shoulders already.

Microsoft has confirmed that Skype will be discontinued on May 5, 2025, and Skype users are encouraged by Microsoft to transition to Microsoft Teams for their communication needs.

I saw a story about that. Personally I never used it so it makes little difference but... Microsoft Teams sounds a bit... Microsofty. Does anyone need an Umbrella? I hear it's raining quite often these days...

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on February 28, 2025, 10:28:43 PMSkype will be discontinued on May 5, 2025

I used it in school to stay in touch with my Class Mentor and fellow hypnotherapists.

I thought everyone was Zooming now. Microsoft is just jealous.

My computer does not have a camera or microphone, so like Sephirah, I don't care if it goes away.

In the early 17th century a German choirmaster had some sugar sticks bent into shepard's hooks as special treats for his choir.

Hence the origin of the candy cane.

The umbrella originated in China around the 4th century.

Chinese fortune cookies did not originate in China.  They may have Japanese origins. 
They were popularized in California restaurants.

Golf balls have over 300 dimples.



The Eiffel Tower was originally proposed for Barcelona, but the city rejected Gustave Eiffel's design, considering it an eyesore.  @Devlyn

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 01, 2025, 09:57:50 AMThe umbrella originated in China around the 4th century.

Umbrellas were only used by women as a sunshade and were considered effeminate.

In England, at least, the man credited with ushering in a new age of gender-neutral weather protection was merchant and philanthropist Jonas Hanway. Having spotted the umbrella put to good use during his many travels, Hanway took to carrying one through rainy London in the 1750s, a sight met with open jeering by surprised onlookers. The greatest abuse apparently came from coach drivers, who counted on inclement weather to drive up demand for a dry, comfy ride. But Hanway took the derision in stride. Shortly after his death in 1786, an umbrella advertisement surfaced in the London Gazette, a harbinger of sunnier days to come for the accessory's reputation as a rain repellant for all.

Source Link (https://interestingfacts.com/fact/umbrellas-were-once-used-only-by-women/)

Umbrellas can also be used as a portable or as a fixed location (patio table) sunshade.

So you can use them rain or shine.


I suggest you consider not using them on very windy days.

Hmmmm....
 
    Why would one "park" on a  DRIVEWAY
       
                          and

    "drive" on a PARKWAY   
               
           ??? ??? ???

Rolls Royce cars have a hole in a door's side opening to contain a long umbrella.

Magnets are in lots of things.

There are sometimes fun to play with too.

Ham comes from the leg of a pig.  The thinner part of the leg is called the shank, its short end piece (the hock) is removed from the ham.  The wider part is called the butt.  The meat is cured with water, sugar, salt, and maybe other spices, to give the ham its usual color and flavor.  Then it is smoked to cook it.

Usually hams with the bone still in it are more flavorful than hams without the bone.

Stainless steel was invented in the early 1900s, and has as its key ingredient chrome.
This chrome forms a protective oxide film on its surface.

I have been mining gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota for about ten years. But the gold I dig up is not "Black Hills Gold," as that is a trade name for a specific type of jewelry.

There was a time when all Black Hills Gold jewelry was sourced from the Black Hills of South Dakota. After the closing of the Homestake Mine (one of the largest gold producers in the U.S.), the gold is now sourced from just about anywhere. However, by law, the jewelry piece must be crafted in the Black Hills to be called Black Hills Gold, and the piece must be marked with a trademark stamp to verify this.

Black Hills gold jewelry is noted not by a single color or type of gold but by the unique design of the pieces, typically handcrafted to depict leaves, grape clusters, and vines. Black Hills gold pieces are easily recognizable for their distinctive colors and are often made with gold colored in more than one tone.

Black Hills gold jewelry is made with alloys of gold, with standard yellow gold as well as green and pink gold. Silver is alloyed with yellow gold to produce 14-karat green gold, while copper is alloyed with yellow gold to create 14-karat red or pink gold.

These alloys are then molded, assembled, and handcrafted into a beautiful finished piece.

https://www.google.com/search?q=black+hills+gold+jewelry&udm=2&dpr=3

Cornish pasty is a protected name, you may only call a pasty Cornish if made in Cornwall.

Doughnuts used to be called oily cakes because they were deep fried in pork fat.

Doughnuts used to be ball shaped.  Then it was discovered that they could cook much more evenly if they removed dough from their middles.

Doughnuts were brought to the American continent by the Dutch.

The two basic types of doughnuts are the yeast doughnuts and the cake type doughnuts.

Charcoal briquettes were invented in 1897.  "Hotter interest" did not arise until the 1920s.  That is when automaker Henry Ford decided to recycle wood scraps from automobile manufacturing to make charcoal briquettes.

Many of those crosswalk buttons do nothing to activate the walk signal, so I hear.  It is for psychological comfort and potential signal activating if traffic management people want to set it up.

Budweiser is a type of beer named after the town in which it is produced, Budweis in German or České Budějovice in Czech.  Adolphus Busch admitted that the American product was an attempt to recreate the quality of the beer made in Budweis but Anheuser-Busch trademarked the name, preventing Budweiser made in Budweis from being called Budweiser in the USA.  In fact, according to Wikipedia, it has so far resulted in over 100 lawsuits worldwide since 1907.  In Britain we can drink both American Budweiser and Czech Budweiser Budvar.  My work colleagues used to agree that Budvar was the superior product but that may have been out of sympathy for the underdog.  I am not a beer connoisseur myself. 

Quote from: davina61 on March 02, 2025, 03:07:50 AMCornish pasty is a protected name, you may only call a pasty Cornish if made in Cornwall.

If Hamburger, Frankfurter, Wiener, Vienna, Berliner, Steak Canadienne and French Fries become protected names, I might starve to death.

If President Trump really wants to annoy the British, he could to a Budweiser and trademark Cornish Pasty.

Anheuser-Busch, the company that makes Budweiser, is wholly owned by a Belgium based company.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 02, 2025, 10:47:06 AMAnheuser-Busch, the company that makes Budweiser, is wholly owned by a Belgium based company.

It's true what they say, then - what goes around comes around.

Those big metal shipping drums were first manufactured for the oil industry in the late 1800s.

Oil companies were using wooden barrels, which leaked.  The first metal drums leaked too.  After they started to weld the drums the leaks stopped.

Now these drums are used to contain all kinds of things.

Those ice cream cones you fill up with ice cream originated over a hundred years ago.
The first ones were waffle cones.

Note that those pointy end cones you see may be either a waffle cone or a sugar cone.  There is a difference.
Sugar cones are stronger than waffle cones and may be more appropriate to use with hard ice creams.

The cones that are not shaped like cones with the pointy ends are likely cake cones.  These cones have flat bottoms are less sugary and more flakey than the waffle or sugar cones. 

That's the scoop on ice cream cones!

Throughout Alabama, it's illegal for a person to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in their back pocket. Back when most people got around on horseback, horse thieves would put ice cream in their pocket to lure horses away without being charged with stealing. Luckily, not many people are trying to steal horses off the streets of Alabama today.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 02, 2025, 12:25:41 PMThroughout Alabama, it's illegal for a person to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in their back pocket. Back when most people got around on horseback, horse thieves would put ice cream in their pocket to lure horses away without being charged with stealing. Luckily, not many people are trying to steal horses off the streets of Alabama today.

But is was NOT illegal to put an ice cream in a front pocket?

The longer coffee beans are roasted, the less caffeine they have.
So dark roast coffee has less caffeine than light roast coffee.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 02, 2025, 03:57:10 PMThe longer coffee beans are roasted, the less caffeine they have.
So dark roast coffee has less caffeine than light roast coffee.

I did not know that!

I prefer dark roast, but that is for flavor, not caffeine content.

There are over 800 "aromas" (aromatics) for coffee beans, much more than with wines.

Sometimes when a customer annoys at a coffee shop, some baristas serve that person decaf coffee and the customer did not request decaf coffee.  Perhaps that is urban folklore.

The microphone was invented in 1876.  This sound to signal device was associated with the invention of the telephone.

The pineapple is native to South America but colonization did spread it to other tropical areas.

Frogs like to lay their eggs in pineapple crowns.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 02, 2025, 12:25:41 PMThroughout Alabama, it's illegal for a person to walk down the street with an ice cream cone in their back pocket. Back when most people got around on horseback, horse thieves would put ice cream in their pocket to lure horses away without being charged with stealing. Luckily, not many people are trying to steal horses off the streets of Alabama today.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 02, 2025, 01:32:12 PMBut is was NOT illegal to put an ice cream in a front pocket?

In Alabama, all horse thieves have to do is walk backwards AND THE SHERIFFS CAN DO  NOTHING TO STOP THEM!

Race cars on oval tracks make only left turns on the track, no right turns, except to avoid an accident perhaps.

Some cars are constructed slightly differently then:  The cars' front suspension is about the same as most cars except, using shims, the right front tires tilt inward and the left front tires tilt outward.   

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 04, 2025, 02:40:04 PMRace cars on oval tracks make only left turns on the track, no right turns, except to avoid an accident perhaps.

Some cars are constructed slightly differently then:  The cars' front suspension is about the same as most cars except, using shims, the right front tires tilt inward and the left front tires tilt outward.

I went to the races often when I lived in Illinois. The cars were also weighted on the right, usually just cinder blocks in the door to offset centrifugal force as they went around the turns. This kept the right side of the car down and in contact with the track.
 

The first hand held screwdrivers came about in the early 1800s.

I like the ones the have a "hex bolt" looking bolster on their shafts just below their handles.  This allows you to apply more torque with a box wrench.  A nice feature.

If you wish to see what that looks like, look for a picture of a Snap-On tools brand screwdriver.

Drag race cars have the driver and battery on the l/h side to counter the engine rotation on a launch.
 A top fuel dragster engine burns out the spark plugs before the end of the run and the engine keeps running on dieseling effect.

Quote from: davina61 on March 06, 2025, 03:25:49 AMDrag race cars have the driver and battery on the l/h side to counter the engine rotation on a launch.
 A top fuel dragster engine burns out the spark plugs before the end of the run and the engine keeps running on dieseling effect.

That's a fun fact. I did not know that!
Thanks for sharing.

The G force is so great on a top fuel car that the drivers internal organs get flattened against their spine, G force is higher than a space rocket launch and most fighter jets.

The Swiss Army multitool knife dates back to 1891 with the Swiss soldier's knife.

Those large stainless tank trailers you may see on the road can carry up to about 12,000 gallons.  There is fiberglass insulation around the inner tank and an outside layer surrounds it all.

Aluminum boats were introduced in the mid 1900s.

The Regency TR-1 was the first commercially manufactured transistor non-military radio.  it was introduced in 1954. It featured an appealing small size and portability.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 08, 2025, 08:42:59 AMThose large stainless tank trailers you may see on the road can carry up to about 12,000 gallons.  There is fiberglass insulation around the inner tank and an outside layer surrounds it all.

My ex-wife used to build those. She was going to college for her degree in Automotive Technology and got a nice job offer. Instead of being a mechanic, she worked at a plant that makes these insulated tank trailers. Some are used for hauling refrigerated liquids like milk, oxygen, or nitrogen, but most of the ones she built were for hauling hot liquids, like tar for road construction.

When I was building a wooden camper on the back of my pickup, she said she could get all the free insulation that I wanted. It turned out they had a large bin where they dumped scrap fiberglass insulation leftover from their builds. I got about ten large yard-waste bags full and was able to insulate the entire camper with plenty left over.

Those long Alpine horns were first used to announce daily activities by Celtic tribes in the Alps over 2,000 years ago.  Now they are used mostly for musical reasons. 

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 08, 2025, 09:02:35 AMThose long Alpine horns were first used to announce daily activities by Celtic tribes in the Alps over 2,000 years ago.  Now they are used mostly for musical reasons. 

I think they are just trying to annoy their neighbors. Their nearest neighbor might live a mile away, hence the need for really loud horns.  ;D

The Alpine horn's sound can be heard five miles away!

They were made of spruce which was dried out over many years.

Throughout the 19th century mostly only women wore wristwatches, as jewelry.
Men wore pocket watches. 

That little pocket on the jeans was originally there to place a pocket watch.
You can still use it of course for a pocket watch.

The first commercially successful tablet computer was the GridPad, released by Grid Systems in September 1989.  Two earlier devices, the Z88 from Cambridge Computer and the Write-Top from Linus Technologies were both introduced in 1987, and these are also considered among the first tablet computers.

The Write-Top was notable for accepting input through a stylus, making it one of the first computing devices to do so.

Star Trek often showed an ensign bringing to Captain Kirk or Spock or another key officer a "tablet computer" to sign off on something.

So the idea for one came far earlier than the commercially produced ones.

The Scandinavians supposedly thousands of years ago strapped wood to their feet to enable them to hunt more effectively in snowy regions.

Socket wrenches were invented in 1863 and were first featured in a publication a year later.
They were invented in the USA.


These are mighty useful tools!

Many ski goggles have little fans in them to draw away warmer air, as another fogging intervention.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 08, 2025, 08:49:49 AMThe Regency TR-1 was the first commercially manufactured transistor non-military radio.  it was introduced in 1954. It featured an appealing small size and portability.

At last, trans sisters had something to listen to.

Quote from: MaryT on March 08, 2025, 04:09:47 PMAt last, trans sisters had something to listen to.

How true that is.

Some etymology that I find interesting.

In Britain, the term chemist is often used both for pharmacists and some physical scientists.  The word is derived from alchemist.   

An alchemist was a philosopher who researched such subjects as why some things are alive and some are not or why metals such as lead and gold are similar in some respects but different in others.  It was believed that common to all matter was a pure substance called the Philosopher's Stone which accounted for the similarities.  If an alchemist could separate the Philospher's Stone, he or she could find out precisely why, e.g. lead is different from gold and, possibly, convert one to the other.  Today, of course, chemists know a great deal about the fundamental constituents of matter and why e.g. lead and gold are both similar and different.  Biochemists have also learned a lot about why some things are alive and some are not.

Alchemy is derived from Al Khemi, an Arabic term for Egypt.  No doubt partly because of the fascinating and, certainly at one time, mysterious hieroglyphs, Egypt was regarded as a land of mystery and its name was transferred to what was once a very mysterious science.  Gypsy, the English term for the Romany travellers who arrived with alleged mysterious skills such as fortune telling, is derived from the word Egyptian.  (In Egypt, gypsies are called Halebi because it was believed that they arrived via Haleb [Aleppo] in Syria.)

Al Khemi is derived from the Coptic khemi meaning dark-coloured, which in turn is derived from the Ancient Egyptian word kem.  Desert was Ancient Egyptian for a shade of red.  Ancient Egyptians divided Egypt into Kem, the area of the dark silt soil of the Nile and Desert, meaning the reddish country beyond the fertile Nile.  Thus at least two Ancient Egyptian words are commonly used in English, though with their meanings somewhat changed.

Quote from: MaryT on March 08, 2025, 05:35:29 PMSome etymology that I find interesting.

In Britain, the term chemist is often used both for pharmacists and some physical scientists.  The word is derived from alchemist.   

An alchemist was a philosopher who researched such subjects as why some things are alive and some are not or why metals such as lead and gold are similar in some respects but different in others.  It was believed that common to all matter was a pure substance called the Philosopher's Stone which accounted for the similarities.  If an alchemist could separate the Philospher's Stone, he or she could find out precisely why, e.g. lead is different from gold and, possibly, convert one to the other.  Today, of course, chemists know a great deal about the fundamental constituents of matter and why e.g. lead and gold are both similar and different.  Biochemists have also learned a lot about why some things are alive and some are not.

Alchemy is derived from Al Khemi, an Arabic term for Egypt.  No doubt partly because of the fascinating and, certainly at one time, mysterious hieroglyphs, Egypt was regarded as a land of mystery and its name was transferred to what was once a very mysterious science.  Gypsy, the English term for the Romany travellers who arrived with alleged mysterious skills such as fortune telling, is derived from the word Egyptian.  (In Egypt, gypsies are called Halebi because it was believed that they arrived via Haleb [Aleppo] in Syria.)

Al Khemi is derived from the Coptic khemi meaning dark-coloured, which in turn is derived from the Ancient Egyptian word kem.  Desert was Ancient Egyptian for a shade of red.  Ancient Egyptians divided Egypt into Kem, the area of the dark silt soil of the Nile and Desert, meaning the reddish country beyond the fertile Nile.  Thus at least two Ancient Egyptian words are commonly used in English, though with their meanings somewhat changed.

Fascinating, that is.

The B25 Mitchell  bomber is the only warplane  named after someone who was court marshalld. 

For thousands of years, sails were square.  Later they started to appear to be more triangular.

Sails work much like vertical wings.

Large racing sails can cost more than $100,000!

Walnut trees can take about five (3 to 7) years after planting to get to first harvest time of walnuts.

Olives are basically inedible until after they are pickled.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 09, 2025, 10:56:00 AMOlives are basically inedible until after they are pickled.

They use brine and lye to soften them up.

In ancient times, they put them in baskets and left them in the ocean to brine.

Engines are not the only devices that have pistons.

Tubas are another thing that have them.

So does the city of Detroit.  ;D
https://www.espn.com/nba/team/roster/_/name/det/detroit-pistons

Allodoxaphobia is the fear of other people's opinions.

Queen Elizabeth II was a trained mechanic.  When the Queen was 16, she joined the British employment agency at the Labour Exchange and she learned the basics of truck repair.

A cat spends on average 15 hours a day sleeping.

This is strange.  If you go to Google.com and search for the work askew, the results page displayed on your screen will be slightly titled!

Persimmons have to overripen before palatable.

Chicken tenders are good, and I love breasts.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 11, 2025, 04:54:48 PMChicken tenders are good, and I love breasts.

Me too, but not on chickens. Chicks, maybe, but not chickens.  ;D

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 11, 2025, 04:59:14 PMMe too, but not on chickens. Chicks, maybe, but not chickens.  ;D

Well, of course Lori.

You can make your own veg stock using peelings, leaves and onion skin. Just add water and boil.

McDonald's fish sandwich sold for $0.29 when it was introduced in 1965.

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich is now made of Alaskan Pollock.

McDonald's fish sandwich is served with a steamed bun.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 11, 2025, 03:36:18 PMQueen Elizabeth II was a trained mechanic.  When the Queen was 16, she joined the British employment agency at the Labour Exchange and she learned the basics of truck repair.

I miss her!  I always wanted a big desk and an office with a map and a portrait of the Queen on the wall, to show everyone how important I was.  I never got them.

A visit to London coincided with the Trooping of the Colour.  I was able to watch the procession to and from the ceremony from my position on the Mall.   I frightened a little mouse under her chair.

Okay,that last part might not be true.

brown tea is just green tea left to dry longer.

Pi has been calculated to more than a trillion digits to the right of the decimal point.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 14, 2025, 06:25:59 AMPi has been calculated to more than a trillion digits to the right of the decimal point.

... without finding a repeating pattern.


Happy Pi Day, Chrissy!

"The number π is an irrational number, meaning that it cannot be expressed exactly as a ratio of two integers. Consequently, its decimal representation never ends, nor enters a permanently repeating pattern."

Think about this for a moment.

The digits of pi never end and never repeat themselves in any form of pattern. That means that pi contains an infinite amount of number sequences.

Every number in your life can be found somewhere within the digits of pi. This includes your age, birthdate, address, phone number, driver's license number, social security number, etc.

There is a theory that everything in the Universe can be expressed as a number or numeric formula.

That means that the answer to everything in the universe can be found in the digits of pi.

(Sorry, Sarah B, but it is more than just 42.  ;D )

@Sarah B

Hi Lori

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 14, 2025, 03:23:26 PM(Sorry, Sarah B, but it is more than just 42.  ;D )

You deserve a thumbs down for that!  >:(  ???  ::)  ;D

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
PS Just kidding, nice post.
@Lori Dee

Hi Everyone

If you thought Pi was okay, you are wrong.  Let me show you something:

Introduction
Pi (π) and Euler's number (e) are two of the most fundamental mathematical constants, appearing in a wide range of mathematical and scientific disciplines.  While they originate from different areas π from geometry and e from calculus and exponential growth they are deeply connected in various ways. Here are some key relationships between them:

1. Euler's Identity (The Most Famous Relationship)
One of the most beautiful and profound equations in mathematics is Euler's identity:

e^iπ + 1 = 0

This equation connects five of the most important mathematical constants: e, π, i (the imaginary unit), 1, and 0. It demonstrates the deep relationship between exponential growth, trigonometry, and complex numbers.

2. Euler's Formula (General Form)
Euler's identity is a special case of a more general formula:

e^iπ = cos(𝑥) + isin(𝑥)

When 𝑥 = 𝜋, this reduces to Euler's identity.

3. Connection in Calculus

• π appears in trigonometry (e.g., sine and cosine functions, Fourier series).
• e appears in exponential and logarithmic functions (e.g., growth/decay, compound interest).

Both are connected through the Taylor series expansions of sine, cosine, and the exponential function.
For example, the Taylor series for 𝑒^𝑥

𝑒^𝑥 = ^n=∞ ∑ _𝑛=0 (𝑥^𝑛/𝑛!)
 
The Taylor series for sine and cosine involve π and have a structure similar to e^𝑥.

4. Gaussian Integral (Probability and Statistics)
The normal distribution in probability theory is described by the function:

𝑓(𝑥) = 1/(Sqrt(2𝜋)) x 𝑒^-(𝑥2/2)

Here, both π and e appear naturally, demonstrating their fundamental role in statistics and probability.

5. Wallis Product (Connecting π and e)
The Wallis product for π can be derived using an integral that also involves e:

𝜋/2 = ^∞ ∏ _𝑛=1 (2𝑛)²/((2n − 1)(2n + 1))

A similar infinite product for e can be found in number theory and combinatorics.

6. Complex Analysis and the Gamma Function
The Gamma function, which generalizes the factorial to complex numbers, has deep connections to both π and e. One key relationship is:

Γ(1/2) = sqrt(𝜋)
 
Which is derived from an integral involving e.

Conclusion
Pi (π) and Euler's number (e) may seem to come from different fields, but they are fundamentally intertwined through complex numbers, calculus, probability, and special functions. Euler's identity, e^iπ + 1 = 0 is one of the most famous and elegant demonstrations of their deep connection.

Now back to your regular programming: "Random facts, just for fun and curiosity."

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator
PS Never let a Math Geek loose.

Sarah,

Fascinating.


Chrissy

Tanks do not get good fuel mileage.

I wonder how many tanks are lost in battle because they ran out of fuel.

Chrissy

Yes!  You can ride in real tanks at some "tank driving experience" locations in the USA, such as Minnesota and Florida.  You can do a Web search and find some.

"2S" in some of the LGBTQIA+ or similar labels stands for "Two Spirit" or "Two Spirited."

Such as 2SLGBTQ++

Circles have two (2) sides:  The inside and the outside.

Actually, some mathematicians argue that a circle has no side or an infinite number of sides.



P. S.  I do not care.  Seems obvious to me:  an inside and an outside.

Lori's Age: One-half of Lori's age two years from now plus one-third of her age three years ago is twenty years. 

To find her current age, you can set up the equation (setting up equations is fascinating and sometimes harder than it initially seems):


1/2(x+2) + 1/3(x−3) = 20, where x is her current age. 

Easy Peasy after you setup the basic algebra equations, right?  What is Lori's current age?

Nancy's and Sarah's Ages:  Sarah is three times Nancy's age.  In ten years, Sarah will be twelve years older than Nancy. 

You can set up the equations:
S=3N and
S+10 = N+10+12, where
S is Sarah's age and
N is Nancy's age.

What are each of their ages?  Easy Peasy after you setup the algebra equations.

Over my head Chrissy-----------
 The Malvern hills were formed from volcanos bordering a shallow lagoon, Malvern water is filtered through the granite and gives it a distinct taste. Sand and gravel from the lagoon are dug up around here and there is fossil shells found in it.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 15, 2025, 02:21:23 PMLori's Age: One-half of Lori's age two years from now plus one-third of her age three years ago is twenty years. 

To find her current age, you can set up the equation (setting up equations is fascinating and sometimes harder than it initially seems):


1/2(x+2) + 1/3(x−3) = 20, where x is her current age. 

Easy Peasy after you setup the basic algebra equations, right?  What is Lori's current age?

I got 24 which is about as old as she looks.

Quote from: MaryT on March 16, 2025, 04:36:45 PMI got 24 which is about as old as she looks.

 ;D

You are too kind. I turn 68 in September. Your equation is missing a 3x in there somewhere.  ;D

Quote from: MaryT on March 16, 2025, 04:36:45 PMI got 24 which is about as old as she looks.

Mary,


You are correct on both counts for Lori.  For Lori Dee too.  Could be the same person.


Chrissy

I will forgo the trains going in opposite directions on parallel tracks problems, where you may be asked when the trains will initially pass each other.

So much fun it was in junior high math class, right? 


Chrissy

The fear of long words is called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.

Hi All

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 15, 2025, 02:24:27 PMNancy's and Sarah's Ages:  Sarah is three times Nancy's age.  In ten years, Sarah will be twelve years older than Nancy. 

You can set up the equations:
S=3N and
S+10 = N+10+12, where
S is Sarah's age and
N is Nancy's age.

What are each of their ages?  Easy Peasy after you setup the algebra equations.

Sarah is 18 years old and Nancy is 6 years old

Hugs
Sarah B

Hi All

Since Chrissy is reluctant to do a train problem then I shall.

Problem

Two trains start at the same time from two different cities that are 300 km apart and travel toward each other on parallel tracks.

Train A travels at 80 km/h
Train B travels at 100 km/h
At what time will the two trains meet?

Hugs
Sarah B

Mount Everest is not the tallest mountain on Earth.
Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa in Hawaii, twin volcanoes, are taller than Mount Everest because 4.2 km of their heights are submerged.

These twin volcanoes measure 10.2 km in total height compared to Everest's 8.8 km.

Quote from: Sarah B on March 16, 2025, 10:56:27 PMHi All

Sarah is 18 years old and Nancy is 6 years old

Hugs
Sarah B

Sarah,

Those ages are correct.

Chrissy

Hi All

Solution

Step 1: Define Variables
Let t be the time (in hours) it takes for the trains to meet.

Distance covered by Train A in time t = 80t km
Distance covered by Train B in time t = 100t km

The total distance between them is 300 km

Since they are moving toward each other, their combined distance covered is equal to the total distance:

80𝑡 + 100𝑡 = 300

Step 2: Solve for t

80𝑡 + 100𝑡 = 300

180𝑡 = 300

𝑡 = 300/180

𝑡 = 1.67 hours

Since 0.67 is about 40 minues we conclude:

𝑡 = 1 hour 40  minutes approximately

Final Answer:

The trains will meet 1 hour and 40 minutes after they start traveling toward each other.

Hugs
Sarah B

Quote from: Sarah B on March 16, 2025, 10:59:53 PMHi All

Since Chrissy is reluctant to do a train problem then I shall.

Problem

Two trains start at the same time from two different cities that are 300 km apart and travel toward each other on parallel tracks.

Train A travels at 80 km/h
Train B travels at 100 km/h
At what time will the two trains meet?

Hugs
Sarah B

First, calculate the relative speed at which the two trains are closing the distance between them. The combined speed of Train A and Train B is 80km/h+100km/h=180km/h

Second, because the distance between the two cities is 300 km, the time it takes for the trains to meet is 300 km / 180 km/h, which is 5/3 hours, or 1 hour and 40 minutes, or 100 minutes.

Fun Fact:

In high school, first-year algebra was a mandatory subject. The only thing it taught me was that I hated algebra. I wanted to be an architect back then, so I took 3 years of geometry instead... and ended up doing a lot of algebra.  ;D

I never became an architect, but in the Army, during Masster Gunner School, we had to learn the WoRM formula for determining the range and size of objects. This is important for things like the width of a bridge you are going to drive your tank over, or for calculating distance if your laser rangefinder isn't working. The formula is Width over Range x Mils x 1000. So if you know the width, you can calculate the range using binoculars or gun sights with reticles, or you can calculate the width if you know the range.

Alaska has no poison ivy and no poison oak.

It does have mosquitos!

It is possible to type "Alaska" on a single row of a standard USA keyboard.

Alaska is the only state that does not collect state sales tax or an individual state income tax.

Alaskan cities may have sales tax, as high as 7.5% in some places.

Cats have 32 muscles in each of their ears.

Identical twins do not have the same fingerprints.

A few people have NO fingerprints.

The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 17, 2025, 08:08:30 PMThe unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

I was wondering where they were from!

The German chocolate cake is named after its American inventor, Samuel German.

Lettuce is a member of the sunflower family.

Dmitri Mendeleev was a Russian chemist and inventor. He formulated the Periodic Law and created his version of the periodic table of elements.

He observed that when the elements (helium, hydrogen, etc.) were listed in an orderly sequence based on their atomic weight, certain patterns emerged among groups of elements. Using these observations, he was able to correct some of the properties of already-known elements.

But then he noticed that there were gaps in the order where there should be elements -- elements that had not been discovered yet. Based upon his periodic table, he calculated what the atomic weights and chemical properties of these unknown elements should be.

Many years later, the elements Scandium, Gallium, and Germanium were discovered and found to match exactly the properties predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev.

Urbain Le Verrier was an astronomer who noticed certain variations in the movements of the planets.

Verrier was intensely engaged for months in complex calculations to explain these small but systematic discrepancies between Uranus's observed orbit and the one predicted from Newton's Laws of Gravity.

He determined that there must exist some unknown planet whose gravity was causing these variations.

Later, the planet Neptune was discovered.

Saturn has more than 200 moons.  Recently over 100 were discovered.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 20, 2025, 10:14:52 PMDmitri Mendeleev was a Russian chemist and inventor. He formulated the Periodic Law and created his version of the periodic table of elements.

He observed that when the elements (helium, hydrogen, etc.) were listed in an orderly sequence based on their atomic weight, certain patterns emerged among groups of elements. Using these observations, he was able to correct some of the properties of already-known elements.

But then he noticed that there were gaps in the order where there should be elements -- elements that had not been discovered yet. Based upon his periodic table, he calculated what the atomic weights and chemical properties of these unknown elements should be.

Many years later, the elements Scandium, Gallium, and Germanium were discovered and found to match exactly the properties predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev.

I have a small lump of Gallium.  Its melting point is 29.76C so it is solid at most room temperatures but melts in the palm of your hand.

AOL (America OnLine) email still exists.

Beaumaris castle was never finished, they ran out of funds 3/4 of the way and as it took so long to build the threat of an invasion had changed. (walked around this on holiday)

Biodiesel requires no petroleum.

Used vegetable oil and beef tallow are used to make biodiesel fuel.

A nationwide American restaurant chain has gone back to using beef tallow rather than seed oil for cooking French fries.  Beef tallow can be heated to higher temperatures than seed oil.

It may be safer for cooking at higher temperatures than seed oil.

Germany has more castles than McDonald's restaurants.

Clothes hangers have been commonly used since the mid 19th century.

A tea restaurant has overtaken McDonald's in terms of number of locations worldwide.

A bigger Big Mac is coming to many American McDonald's soon.

Even more calories!

Often the fancy architectural outside trim you see may be made of a base of foam, not wood or stone.  There is a mesh added to the outside of the foam, then cement is evenly applied to the surfaces.

The United States Coast Guard does not report to the Pentagon.

It reports to the Department of Homeland Security.

Domestic cats spend about 70% of their lives sleeping.

Domestic cats can fit in lots of places, such as small boxes, because they are very flexible.

Mice are very flexible too.  They can come in and out of small openings in the wall.

The UK is the country (comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
with the most tornadoes per land area per year.

Many of these tornadoes may not be as strong as many of the tornados in the United States.

The USA has the most tornados per year, followed by Canada.

Composite propane cylinders are lighter than steel propane gas cylinders.

They have see through walls so you can see how much of that liquid propane is remaining in the tank.  Propane is a gas at room temperature and normal atmospheric pressure; but, it is a liquid in compressed tanks, because of the high pressure.

These tank cylinders and their housings are made primarily with fiberglass and plastic, except for the metal valves.  They are rust proof.

Have you used any of these composite propane cylinders?  They are often used for fork lifts, riding lawn mowers, patio heaters, and BBQ grills.

I have used a lot of propane while camping or grilling out. I have installed security systems in warehouses with forklifts running around. But  I have never seen a propane tank that wasn't steel.

I learned something today. Thanks, Chrissy!

Gold is heavy. It is 19.88 times heavier than water and twice as heavy as lead. A one-gallon jug of milk weighs about 8 pounds. That same jug full of gold would weigh 160 pounds.

Gold is a very soft metal. It can be hammered so thin that it becomes transparent. Gold is highly reflective, so NASA uses thin gold on helmet visors to protect astronauts from the sun's rays.

Gold is also extremely ductile (something is ductile when it is capable of being drawn out as a wire under tension without breaking). One ounce of gold can be stretched to a length of 50 miles; the resulting wire would be just five microns wide.

You do dig into a lot of facts about gold Lori.

Another piece of proof that you are a gold digger.

Chrissy

Something I never got around to doing is going down a gold mine or visiting a refinery, although I have had opportunities.

I have heard from more than one source, though, that some South African guides, when showing visitors gold bars, would tell them that if they could pick one up with one hand, they could keep it.  After everyone who wanted to tried and failed, the guide would then pick it up with one hand.  Apparently a rapid turn of the palm does the trick, although I haven't seen it done.  (I imagine that a sprained wrist could also result.) 

If you did manage to pick up a bar, though, I'll bet that they still wouldn't let you walk out with it.

VIP guests were sometimes given ice cream desserts sprinkled with gold dust and told that gold has many uses and you can even eat it.

There is a lighthouse for sale in Chesapeake Bay.  For about $450,000 US, it could be yours!

The FAROE ISLANDS is the most cloudy area of the world. 

That is, for most of the days and hours it is cloudy there.

However, parts of the islands can be cloudy at the same time other regions are sunny.

Quote from: MaryT on March 31, 2025, 03:52:23 AMtold that gold has many uses and you can even eat it.

Goldschläger is a Swiss cinnamon schnapps, a liqueur with very thin, yet visible flakes of 24-karat gold floating in it. The actual amount of gold has been measured at approximately 13 milligrams (0.20 grains) in a one-litre bottle.

Hot sauce can vary in hotness, just like peppers can.

The heaviest baby born was over 22 pounds!

A patient awoke after the longest known coma of more than 29 years!

There have been cases where individuals exhibited signs of intoxication without consuming any alcohol. This condition is known as auto brewery syndrome (ABS) or gut fermentation syndrome.

This occurs when yeast in the digestive tract ferments carbohydrates into alcohol, leading to elevated blood alcohol levels without the person drinking alcohol.

Adult humans can have around of 100,000 miles of blood vessels.

Scotland supposedly has over 400 words for snow.

It has been said that armadillo shells are bulletproof.
If that is the case, it may be unwise and unsafe to try to shoot one through its shell as the bullet may bounce away to somewhere.  You do not want to be at that somewhere location.

Astronauts in the International Space Station can 3D print many parts and tools.
NASA can email to them the required files for the printer to produce the part or tools.

The capybara is a fish, according to the Vatican. Capybaras are the world's largest rodents and are native to South America. 

During the middle ages, eating the meat of certain animals was not allowed during Lent. After the the colonization of the Americas by Europeans, clergymen in Venezuela wrote to the Vatican to ask if capybara could be classified as a fish, so that they could continue to eat it during Lent. 

The Vatican granted their request in 1784, and the rodent was given the status of fish.

Love always -- Jess

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on April 01, 2025, 08:19:51 PMThe capybara is a fish, according to the Vatican. Capybaras are the world's largest rodents and are native to South America. 

During the middle ages, eating the meat of certain animals was not allowed during Lent. After the the colonization of the Americas by Europeans, clergymen in Venezuela wrote to the Vatican to ask if capybara could be classified as a fish, so that they could continue to eat it during Lent. 

The Vatican granted their request in 1784, and the rodent was given the status of fish.

Love always -- Jess

Jess,

Sounds fishy but true. 

The capybara does have webbed feet. 


Chrissy

Whole milk has been banned from US school cafeteria menus since 2012; but, it may be allowed back as it may not have the adverse health impacts that have been associated with it.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 01, 2025, 09:09:22 PMWhole milk has been banned from US school cafeteria menus since 2012; but, it may be allowed back as it may not have the adverse health impacts that have been associated with it.

That's the only kind I drink, and I have some every day. People worry about fat content when they shouldn't. Fat is good for you in moderation. Hydrogenated oils are the real danger, not milk fat.

The world keeps changing and greater implementation of artificial intelligence will impact how many people will do their work, and even what they do in general.  Try to be prepared by continually learning important things and developing valued skills, so you will may have a good job.

But personal skills are important too, as are leadership skills.

I cannot imagine many sports being played by robots but one never knows.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 02, 2025, 07:34:57 AMI cannot imagine many sports being played by robots but one never knows.

They do in video games.  ;D

I spent 16 years in higher education after retiring from the Army. Studies reflect that changes to our elementary and secondary education curriculum and the pervasive use of phones/computers in our everyday life often leave college graduates at lower skill levels in math, reading and English and reflect key deficiencies in interpersonal, communications and critical thinking skills. I saw a lot of that among the entering first year students requiring an inordinate amount of remediation...which equates to tuition costs for students.

Quote from: April Marie on April 02, 2025, 10:41:24 AMI spent 16 years in higher education after retiring from the Army. Studies reflect that changes to our elementary and secondary education curriculum and the pervasive use of phones/computers in our everyday life often leave college graduates at lower skill levels in math, reading and English and reflect key deficiencies in interpersonal, communications and critical thinking skills. I saw a lot of that among the entering first year students requiring an inordinate amount of remediation...which equates to tuition costs for students.

"I fear the day when the technology overlaps with our humanity. The world will only have a generation of idiots."  Albert Einstein

It seems like basic skills levels are decreasing. 

One college is even running a course on how to talk on the telephone, to help students interview on a call, not simply interact online.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 02, 2025, 01:21:43 PMIt seems like basic skills levels are decreasing. 

One college is even running a course on how to talk on the telephone, to help students interview on a call, not simply interact online.

I have paid cash at a store and the young cashier did not know how to count out my change. Now, cash registers tell them how much to count, but then she just looked confused. So sad.

Store brand products and membership warehouse clubs can save you a significant amount of money over the course of a year of purchases.

Some lipsticks may contain fish scales.

A horse can produce up to 24 horsepower, not just one HP.

The University of Bologna, which is located in Italy, is the oldest university in the world.

It was founded in 1088.

The first hand-held mobile telephone call was made on April 3, 1973 in New York City.

King Henry VIII of England had servants called "Grooms of Stool." 

These servants wiped him clean after he visited the toilet.

Owls do not have eyeballs in the traditional sense; instead, they have eye tubes or cylinders that are elongated and do not move in their sockets like human eyeballs do. This unique eye structure allows owls to have large eyes relative to their body size.  This helps owls see in low light conditions.

Because their eyes are fixed in their sockets, owls must rotate their heads to look around.
They are capable of turning their necks up to 270 degrees.

A flat 4 engine (or 6, 8 cyl) is called a boxer as the opposing pistons look like boxers fighting.

An octopus has three hearts.

Sometimes an octopus will eat another live octopus.

The heart of a shrimp is in its head.

Beware!  The box jellyfish is considered to be the most venomous animal in the world. Its sting may cause heart failure and death within minutes.  Stay away!

The dung beetle is one of the strongest animals in the world.  It is capable of pulling over 1,100 times of its own body weight.

The dung beetle is an animal, belonging to the kingdom Animalia and is classified under the order Coleoptera, which includes beetles.

The name LEGO comes from the Danish words "Leg Godt," and that means "play well."

The number four (4) is the only number with the same number of letters as its numeric value.

Wearing headphones for just an hour could increase the bacteria in your ears by 700 times.

Clean your headphones and your ears!

Camels have three eyelids.

If you are under the moon that is directly overhead, you will weigh slightly less.

A 50kg (around 110 pounds) person would weigh approximately 0.24g (around 1/2 pound) lighter.

Wood pellets can be made of sawdust and wood chips, wood shavings, small logs, and other wood waste.

Cocoa trees come in various varieties.  Their fruit are in big pods, which can be about the size of footballs.  Opening the pods and you find edible pulp and the cocoa beans.  These trees grow in tropical areas.

It takes about 300-600 cocoa beans to make about one kilogram of chocolate.

Solid chocolate started to be produced in the mid 19th century.

Heather gems are not made of stone but rather wood from a plant called heather.
The wood is stained different colors.

This can make for nice jewelry.  A Scottish firm makes them.

They can look like stone.

The ancient Romans typically heated the floors of their bathrooms.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 06, 2025, 01:11:34 PMThe ancient Romans typically heated the floors of their bathrooms.

They also had self-flushing toilets! Water was diverted from a river or canal and ran under the "outhouse" type of toilet. The running water flushed the sewage continuously.

I would not go fishing downstream from the city.  ;D

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 06, 2025, 02:39:24 PMThey also had self-flushing toilets! Water was diverted from a river or canal and ran under the "outhouse" type of toilet. The running water flushed the sewage continuously.

I would not go fishing downstream from the city.  ;D

Yes, the fishing was likely pretty crappy there.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 06, 2025, 03:04:09 PMYes, the fishing was likely pretty crappy there.

I think you mean "crappie".  ;D

Oh, wait. That's a North American fish. :laugh:

Wind itself has no noise.  When it hits or otherwise interacts with something, such as other air currents, it is that interaction with something is what you hear.

Cellular telephones are not allowed by patrons (fans) at the Masters golf tournament grounds.

Some man tried to take a cup of the famous white sand from a sand strap at Augusta National Golf Course during a Masters tournament.  This supposedly ended up costing him around $20,000 in various costs. 

Australia is wider than the earth's moon, as Australia's width from east to west is almost 2,485 miles, which is wider than the Moon's equatorial diameter of 2,159 miles.

An albatross or a double eagle is scoring three shots under par for a golf hole.
The term albatross is more often used outside of the United States.

Scoring an albatross or double eagle is more rare than hitting a golf hole-in-one.

Sinking the golf ball off your tee shot is called an ace, or a hole-in-one.

A condor is scoring four shots under par for a golf hole.
If you hit the golf ball into the hole off your tee shot for a par five hole, you scored an ace as well as a condor.

There has been only about four or five condors noted to date.
These would likely be possible only on par five hole that has a sharp dogleg and you hit over it to the hole.

A golf dogleg is a sharp bend or turn in the fairway before reaching a hole.

There is a disgusting food museum.  Really.

The Disgusting Food Museum is located in Mälmo, Sweden.


https://disgustingfoodmuseum.com/

Alan Shepard became the first person to hit a golf ball on the moon during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971.

Golf has grown from its Scottish roots to become a global sport.

Golf was banned in Scotland three times in the 15th century (1457, 1471, and 1491) because the government believed golf playing  interfered with military training.

There are over 34,000 golf courses worldwide.  The United States is home to about half of them.

Jack Nicklaus has won 18 major golf championships.  Tiger Woods has won 15.

Early golf balls were made of feathers wrapped in leather and they were used until the mid-1800s.

The first dimpled golf ball was patented in 1905 by William Taylor.

Youngest and oldest Masters Golf tournament winner:  Jack Nicklaus won the Masters at age 23 in 1963, then four more times, then again at age 46 in 1986, making him both the youngest (at that time) and oldest winner of the Masters golf tournament.

Tiger Woods became the youngest Masters Golf tournament winner in 1997 at the age of 21 years and 104 days.

At the Masters golf tournament, the wearing of shorts or denim is not in the dress code.

You also cannot have your cellular telephone with you.  They do have courtesy telephones you can use at stations throughout the golf course.

At the Masters golf tournament, you may use binoculars but not periscopes.

You also cannot bring ladders in or use seats that have arms.

At the Masters golf tournament, you may not bring in outside food.  However, the concessions are very inexpensive.  The highest priced item is about $6 and a bottle of water is about $2.  If you bought one of every concession item available, it would cost less than $80 during this 2025 tournament.

Divots are replaced overnight during the Masters golf tournament. 

According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, respondents experienced unemployment at double the rate of the general population, and 26% lost a job because of being transgender.  20% of respondents reported that they were evicted or denied housing simply for being transgender.

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS) was conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality from 2008 to 2009.  This survey collected responses from over 6,450 participants across all states and the District of Columbia, plus Puerto Rico, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands.

Perhaps more recent data is now available.

The professional golfers who played in the 2025 Masters tournament have a nice payout for their week.  The top four players are scheduled to receive at least $1 Million USD each.  The 10th place finisher earns $567,000. The 20th place finisher will receive $273,000.  Even if one failed to make the weekend cut, as a pro, he earned $25,000 for participating.  These figures are available online.

Frank Beard is the member of ZZ Topp who doesn't  have a  beard

The first computer virus was released in 1971 as an experiment to see how many computers may be impacted.

You can visit the three Amazon spheres in Seattle.

Seattle has a monorail.  One terminus is near the famous Seattle Needle.

Mace is the outer cover of a nutmeg

There are over 250 species of bumblebees.

Bumblebees are great pollinators.  They do not produce as much honey as do honeybees.

The flavor of a fruit cake can become better as it ages.

Fruit cakes were initially eaten by Roman crusaders to help keep them satisfied and ready for battle.

The world's tallest cake known was made to be over 108 feet.

The bodys natural rhythm is the same as a Mars day not an Earth day. 

All insects are animals.

There are many species of insects.  There are at least a million.

It is estimated that there are at least 1.4 billion insects per person.

The meadow froghopper is an insect that can jump more than 100 times its height.

The only insect that is indigenous to Antarctica is the wingless midge, Belgica antarctica.

To make one pound of honey it takes about 10 million nectar-collecting trips by bees.

Houseflies find sugar with their feet.

April 19 marks the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 19, 2025, 07:24:48 AMIt is estimated that there are at least 1.4 billion insects per person.

You can have mine, Chrissy. I don't want them anymore.  ;D

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 19, 2025, 08:46:52 AMYou can have mine, Chrissy. I don't want them anymore.  ;D

Thank you, but I have enough around here. 
It is the thought that counts though, right?

I get bugged enough as it is, so I will pass.

Some people believe that work on self driving cars started around 1939.

Interestingly enough, I believe my grand children won't learn to drive.  Automated cars will take over.

The Roswell, NM McDonald's has a UFO shaped building.

Scientists claim to have discovered 'new colour' no one has seen before
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyq0n3em41o

The Spitfire Mk9 was in use before the  Mk 7 & 8.

The Malvern hills are extinct volcanos made from granite and quartz so in theory there should be gold in there some place!

The International Space Station is the third brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon.

Jupiter and the Sun orbit a common point in space, known as the barycenter.  This location is about 30,000km from the Sun's surface.

NASA's space shuttle was retired in 2011.

As the theoretical counterparts to black holes, white holes are hypothesized to spew out light and matter instead of trapping it inside.

The sandwich was invented by the Earl of Sandwich.

He wanted food delivered to him while he was gambling and he had it placed between two pieces of bread.

Potatoes contain about 80% water.  Seems to me that they contain less water than that because they appear to be quite firm and dense, but no!

Tonic water will glow in the dark because it contains a lot of quinine.

Over a billion tons of food is wasted each year.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 22, 2025, 08:52:27 PMPotatoes contain about 80% water.  Seems to me that they contain less water than that because they appear to be quite firm and dense, but no!

That is because liquids do not compress. As they decompose, gases begin to enter the water, and gases do compress, so the potato gets mushy.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on April 22, 2025, 08:56:06 PMOver a billion tons of food is wasted each year.

I think some are using the term "food" loosely. Much of that is not fit to eat.  ;D

Quote from: Lori Dee on April 22, 2025, 09:20:27 PMI think some are using the term "food" loosely. Much of that is not fit to eat.  ;D

You speaking of McNuggets?  I can tolerate them but there are so many better chicken options.

Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space

Yes!  Beef bacon does exist.  It has less fat than pork bacon.

Stiletto shoes get their name from a long thin bladed knife.

There are reports of hailstones the size of bowling balls.

A cubic mile of ordinary fog actually contains less than a gallon of water.

It can take an hour for snowflakes falling at two to four MPH to reach the ground.

A television show named "Little House the Prairie" often had for the Ingalls family home made meals Dinty Moore brand canned beef stew.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on May 07, 2025, 04:09:49 PMA television show named "Little House the Prairie" often had for the Ingalls family home made meals Dinty Moore brand canned beef stew.

I used to eat that alot, it was a good meal for me alot when I first got divorced

Quote from: Annaliese on May 07, 2025, 04:12:59 PMI used to eat that alot, it was a good meal for me alot when I first got divorced

I try to keep a can in the pantry for an easy to make meal.

VE day today, time to remember winning the fight against tyranny and the ones who never came home. Also the countries that banded together to fight. 80 years today and we must never let this happen again. 

Bananas may be the oldest known fruit.

Watermelons are popular hostess gifts in China.

Lasagna originated in Greece.

Pepperoni is thought to be the most popular pizza topping.

On the less desired end are anchovies as toppings.

Purple and yellow carrots exist.

Applesauce was the first food eaten in space.

American cheese was invented in Switzerland and created by Waltz Gerber and Fritz Stettler.

According to some studies, British women have the largest breasts.
Half of them wear a D cup or larger bra.

The average age that a girl starts to wear a bra is twelve.

There are over 10,000 bird species worldwide.

The largest bird is the ostrich.

The smallest bird is the hummingbird.

The flag of Nepal is the only non-rectangular flag that represents a country.

Hawaii's state flag features the Union Jack (flag of the UK). 

It is the only U.S. State flag to do so.

Some believe that large dogs bark less frequently than little dogs.

Some dogs can weigh over 100 pounds!